This is a growing collection of titles and resources that reflect the heart of Mindful Trails. Books, journals, and magazines that invite deeper connection with nature, encourage more ethical choices, and inspire a slower, more intentional way of moving through the world.
We’re reading these ourselves slowly, of course and will share thoughts, favourite quotes, and how (or if!) they shape the way we travel.
📘Books to Read
Why We Travel
by Ash Bhardwaj
Ash Bhardwaj’s Why We Travel is part memoir, part meditation, and part journey through grief, identity, and belonging all told through the lens of travel. As Bhardwaj navigates borderlands, personal loss, and cultural connection, he explores how travel can be more than just movement through space. It can be a way to reconnect with ourselves and the world in deeper, more empathetic ways.
What stood out most for us were the layered psychological and philosophical tones, which prompted deep reflection on our own motivations for travel and what really matters. This wasn’t a book we stumbled upon, but one recommended by someone who understands our approach and knew it would resonate.
It doesn’t romanticise travel. Instead, it gently probes. Why do we go? What are we hoping to find? And who are we when we return?
Braiding Sweetgrass
By Robin Wall Kimmerer
A poetic blend of Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and ecological philosophy, this book explores the sacred relationship between humans and the natural world. Kimmerer’s reflections on reciprocity and gratitude resonated deeply with our own desire to live and travel more intentionally. Her stories reminded us of the value of pausing, noticing, and giving back. Principles that shape how we walk through the world and how we hope to invite others to do the same through Mindful Trail.
📘Books to Read
In Praise of Slow – Carl Honoré
Next on our list. This one’s a classic of the slow movement and curious how much it connects with our style of family adventure.
The Idle Traveller – Dan Kieran
A quirky, personal take on why slowness matters. Feels like it might align with our Isle of Wight adventure spirit.
Microadventures – Alastair Humphreys
Already flipping through this one for weekend ideas. Great for anyone with kids and a train station nearby.
The Art of Travel – Alain de Botton
Philosophical and thoughtful. Might make us rethink why we travel, not just where.
📖 Magazines & Journals
Ethical Consumer Magazine – Offers independent ratings and guidance for switching to more ethical, sustainable everyday products and services.
Resurgence & Ecologist – Blends stories of nature, culture, well-being and community regeneration, encouraging both personal and planetary transformation.
If you’re starting out on your own journey into slower or more thoughtful travel, we hope this bookshelf becomes a useful, inspiring companion. More to come as we read and learn.
If you’re looking to buy any of these titles, we recommend checking out World of Books. Through its AuthorSHARE program, it’s pioneering a way for authors to earn royalties from the sale of their used books, supporting both sustainability and the people behind the words.
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